James Bond goes back to the '60s in new novel

James Bond returns in novel form this October in a work by William Boyd that returns 007 to 1969.

James Bond's 1969 license to kill is still valid.

The estate of late Bond creator Ian Fleming has announced that a new novel by William Boyd featuring the suave super agent will be set in 007’s 1960s heyday. The martinis will be shaken, not stirred, just like in the old days, as Bond enters middle age.

“We can reveal that this novel will see a return to the classic Bond era, featuring a 45-year-old 007 in 1969,’’ the publisher said in a statement.

The title and plot have yet to be revealed, but Fleming’s estate announced that the book will be published in the United Kingdom on Sept. 26. It will be available from HarperCollins in the United States and Canada in October.

Fleming, who died in 1964, wrote 21 Bond tales, including novels and short stories. Set in the 1960s, the books were popularized by iconic performances in the film versions. Bond remains as popular as ever onscreen, as seen by the blockbuster box office of last year’s “Skyfall’’ starring Daniel Craig.

Numerous authors have followed in Fleming's footsteps. This will be the first Bond novel since 2011's “Carte Blanche,’’ by Jeffrey Deaver. Boyd, 61, the eighth author to join the Bond legacy, is an award-winning novelist whose books include “A Good Man in Africa,” “An Ice-Cream War,’’ and “Any Human Heart.’’ His most recent book, “Waiting for Sunrise,’’ was published early last year.